


INACTIVE

by satisfaczayn



Category: One Direction, Onedirection - Fandom, Zayn - Fandom, zayn malik - Fandom, zaynmalik - Fandom
Genre: Desi, F/M, Wedding, brown - Freeform, nikah - Freeform, tweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-02
Updated: 2019-12-02
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:29:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21645268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/satisfaczayn/pseuds/satisfaczayn
Summary: For six months no one has heard from Zayn Malik until he suddenly tweets something that leaves his entire fan base in a frenzy. This is the story of everything that led up to and influenced the moment in which Zayn publicly announced that he's engaged.-Or a story in which Zayn grapples with an estranged family life, a new and existing relationship and a contract all in the space of 6 months.
Relationships: Zayn Malik/Original Female Character, Zayn Malik/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 10





	1. ZRAFITTI

**Author's Note:**

> Zayn Malik is in no way affiliated with this story. All characters are used as a stimulus for a work of fiction.

March 2019

New York City is the city that never sleeps and truth be told Zayn Malik has not slept since he moved here. His apartment stood on Bond Street which always seemed to be busy and that came with noise and well if you mixed the noise and Zayn's lack of soundproof windows, that is a recipe for sleepless nights. So naturally Zayn would stay up and put his mind to use either through writing lyrics, strumming on his guitar or sometimes when he felt more like himself he'd paint. He rarely painted in New York because he felt like he could not risk being vulnerable in a city where all eyes are on him especially since his dramatic breakup although he wondered how long that would last. Tonight he felt restless and suddenly he was writing out a text asking Gigi if she wanted to come over because really meaningless sex always tended to make him feel better. He wondered if sending it was the right thing to do but at that moment the 3 glasses of wine he drank at supper time took control of his fingers and pushed send on the text. Gigi replied seconds later saying that she was already in her pajamas and he'd have to go to her apartment. He sighed, she knew just the right thing to say to make him sober again. Zayn replied saying "never mind" and threw his phone to the other side of the couch. He hated Gigi's apartment. It was so impersonal and he felt cold every time he entered it. A famous interior designer, of whose name Zayn didn't care enough to remember, had decorated it while she had a shoot in Bali last year. He chose the paint colors, the couches, the ornaments and even the mattress and pillows. It baffled him as to how Gigi could allow someone else to decide on the look of her apartment. The interior designer took a very minimal approach as if he was decorating the inside of a hotel room, fit for anybody. Zayn hated that, it felt like everything in there didn't belong to her and so sleeping over felt odd and uncomfortable for him. He wouldn't tell her that though because Gigi tended to take things too personally and Zayn didn't feel like having to explain himself or do the bare minimum to win her back. Zayn looked around his apartment, a wave of pride washing over him as he looked at the collage he made on the wall and the comic book coffee table that admittedly was easy on the eyes but not the greatest of ideas because now he can't actually read those comics. He smiled as his eyes fell on the Nickelodeon award he received during his One Direction days and he vaguely remembers how he and Louis got high and broke one because they wanted to see if it would fly. The Bob's Burgers pillow on the seat across from where he was sitting reminded him of the time he tried to twerk like Tina and ended up hurting his hip. He wondered how Gigi lived with no memories surrounding her and how lonely and empty that must feel. Zayn could sit for days on end in his apartment and feel unbothered because of all the weird things around him that each had an even weirder memory. He had some fan art on the walls and a shelf with his albums and his book. Zayn realized how happy he is with his life right now and how just 4 years ago everything felt like it was coming to an end. He quickly pushed those thoughts away by switching on his PlayStation. He turned off Zayn and for a few hours he was Zrafitti, his online alter ego who had quite a lot of regular people as friends and Zayn loved that they didn't know who he was and they loved him for him. 

"Zrafitti? Are you on?" MaxFax's voice sounded through Zayn's headphones. "Yeah I'm here. Should we wait for everyone else or get going?" Zayn asked. "Nah lets start without them they'll join later." MaxFax replied. Zayn liked MaxFax the best out of all of them. He was a 24 year old dad and sometimes Zayn could hear his 2 year old son crying in the background and all MaxFax would do is play a song and the baby would immediately quiet down. They've been online friends for 1 year now and well Zayn has cheekily recommended his own songs for the baby to listen to. MaxFax would always tease him for listening to a One Direction member and Zayn would laugh along but every now and then he would hear Golden playing in the background for MaxFax's son and that alone is one of his greatest joys. "Sorry I'm late guys, I just got out of school. Fucking prize giving took hours." Enter KingTyler69. Tyler, 17, is the youngest of them yet has the foulest mouth. "Prize-giving? I didn't realize they gave prizes for lazy asses in school." Zayn chuckled. "Oh shut the fuck up Zack, you're 26 and still playing video games. Don't you have a job?" KingTyler69 said jokingly. Zayn has gotten used to being called Zack online. "Ignore him. Puberty's a bi- sorry a female dog." MaxFax interrupts. Zayn and Tyler laugh as Max corrects himself in front of his baby and Zayn's chest tightens as he wishes he could tell them what his job actually is. MaxFax and TristanWithaT, another video gamer in their group, live nearby to each other and always meet up for a drink and Zayn admittedly gets jealous that they're able to just do that. The three of them play for a while. Max logs off because he needs to put his kid to sleep and Tyler has homework. Zayn logs off too but he has nothing to do. He decides to scroll through Twitter. He likes some tweets so that his fans won't think he's ignoring them and then he deletes Twitter, crawls into his bed and closes his eyes. He started to imagine what his life would be like if he was MaxFax and not Zrafitti. He'd work a regular 9 to 5 job, come home to his son and pay the nanny. His wife would arrive back from work an hour later. He'd play with his son, help his wife make dinner and while she catches up on Grey's Anatomy he'd log on and play video games with his online friends. He'd play a song to make his son feel calm and then when he's done he'd lie next to his wife and he'd feel content because everything that matters is right there in front of him. He'd repeat the process everyday and feel secure in the knowledge that his life is regulated and normal. He could go grocery shopping and no one would care. He could kiss his wife and no one would take a photo and sell it. He could love his son without people thinking it's a publicity stunt. He could be content in a way he has always wanted. Tears escaped Zayn's eyes and he wished, with every cell in his body, that he could have even just a small inkling of what MaxFax has.


	2. CROSSWORD

March 2019

Zayn woke up to the usual hustle and bustle of New York. When he first moved here he thought that, like every other New Yorker, he'd adjust and adapt but he hasn't. It's been 2 and a half years and Zayn still wakes up with an instant headache that only coffee and a cigarette can cure. Somehow it feels like his body is rejecting the city and resisting the natural evolutionary adaptations it's meant to make. Perhaps this lifestyle isn't as static as Zayn thought it would be and this is the universe's way of telling him not to get too comfortable. 

He lit a cigarette and flipped through the newspaper until he got to the crossword. Zayn had a tradition of doing the crossword everyday so that in some way his mind could be stimulated and in all honesty he still felt guilty for not completing school. This posed as an easy way to gain some general knowledge. It did also come in handy with picking up girls. He'd say something like, "Did you know that the side of a ship which is sheltered from the wind is called the alee?" It was always rhetorical because he knew most of them were airheads and he only wanted to make them feel as if they were capable of withholding this knowledge. They'd all respond the same way; first their eyes would widen, then they'd twist a strand of hair with their fingers, use their other hand to touch his arm and then proceed to proclaim his intelligence. It was a foolproof plan and almost always resulted in Zayn getting laid. He was a bit rusty today and googled most of the clues but in his defense it's been a good year since he's even touched a crossword. When Gigi was around and stayed the night she'd complain if Zayn did anything other than give her attention. He loved it for a while, he liked being wanted and needed and he enjoyed the feeling of someone being dependent on him. He knew his family was dependent on him but that was financially, with Gigi it was emotionally and having to be emotionally present at all times made him feel alive again. She was needy and he was not. Somehow the combination worked for a while. It was true that they started as a publicity stunt but a month into their 'relationship' they started to feel something more and soon enough they went from fake to real. That ordeal lasted a year until which Zayn started feeling like he needed an equal and she started depending on him more and more. Soon enough they broke it off privately but their contract ran from 2018 until 2020 so publicly they were happily dating. It bothered Zayn because even if he wanted to begin a new relationship with a different person he, for legal reasons, could not. In a way that's why he became reclusive. He wanted people to think that he never left the house so they would not question why he was rarely seen out with Gigi. Another one of his foolproof plans. 

Zayn threw the crossword to the other side of the couch out of frustration because he could not figure out the last word. The clue was to feel for a home that never was. He was about to search it on google when his phone rang and vibrated in his hand. He saw Mum flash on his screen and he immediately answered the phone unlike when literally anyone else called him. "Hi my sonshine." Trisha's voice always seemed to ease him and the tension from the crossword and his exhaustion from New York seemed to whither away with every syllable she spoke. "Hi Mum. How are you?" They spoke about their day and then their week. Zayn tells her about how he tried out her chicken curry the other day and then accidentally burnt it, which makes her laugh. "Maybe I could make it for you this weekend." Trisha says hesitantly and Zayn knows that behind this statement is the reason his Mum really called. "This weekend? Are you flying to New York?" He questions. "No, love." She sighs and for a few seconds they're both quiet until Trisha says, "Safaa is engaged. The nikah and wedding is this weekend." Zayn laughs. He laughs because he genuinely and quite literally cannot believe what he just heard. "Did you just say Safaa is engaged?" He expects her to laugh along or maybe realize that she said Safaa and not Doniyah or Waliyha but she doesn't and now Zayn's heart rate is rising. "Mum tell me Safaa is not getting married." He raises his voice hoping she can hear the disdain. "It's complicated Zayn. This boy, he's very polite by the way, proposed and this is what she wants Z. We cannot stand in the way of what she wants." Trisha says calmly. "She's 17! You have to stand in the way of what she wants. She's not capable of being a wife, Mum, she's just not." Zayn replies and now he's desperate. He needs his Mum to put an end to this and suddenly he wonders why he really doesn't want this to happen. Is it because she's so young or is it because he should be doing this before her? "You don't know her Zayn. You're away for months at a time, sometimes even years. You see her for what? A week? 2 weeks? Zayn she's so much more mature than any of us were at her age. Should I remind you of what you were doing at 17? We allowed you to go off on your own and tour the world. I think we owe her that much as well. I'm not here to argue with you son. I called because she wants you here and you'll regret it if you're not. The nikah and the wedding is next Sunday but we're having dinners and a mehndi night this coming weekend. I suggest you fly out tomorrow." Trisha put down the phone without saying goodbye and Zayn realized only then how rudely he had spoken to her. He didn't mean it of course. He was shocked and he should be allowed some time to process all of this. His sister was about to take a huge step that none of the other siblings had dealt with yet and knowing that he couldn't advise or help her in any way scared him. 

That night his assistant confirmed that tomorrow morning a private jet would fly him to London and then he'd take the train to Bradford hopefully without being spotted. Zayn had already begun to master the art of privacy and so he knew that sunglasses, a full beard and a hat would easily allow him to blend into his surroundings. The train station in London is always busy and so disappearing into a crowd would be simple. He started packing a small bag with everyday casual outfits and a suit he had made for an award show he never attended. However as he packed he started to think that he might need a bigger bag because he had a feeling that he would be staying longer than expected.


	3. BRADFORD

March 2019

It took some time but Zayn was finally en route from London to Bradford. He loved the train and usually he always left it with a new lyric or a new poem. Today he had no inspiration and the snoring man next to him did not help either. He took out his phone, plugged in his earphones and listened to a chilled out rnb playlist he made the other day. He thought about going onto Twitter or Instagram and maybe sharing one small detail of himself but he decided against it. Social media had become so toxic and he was sure that if he logged on he would see something that would upset him. Zayn decided right then and there that he'd embark on a social media cleanse. He could not go on Instagram or Twitter and he cannot, under any circumstances, be photographed by paparazzi. Technically that is an easy task because if his publicist did not call them they'd never know his whereabouts and he rarely told his publicist where he is. Zayn opened his notes app and typed, "I, Zayn Malik, will NOT go on any form of social media for at least a few weeks unless it is a life or death situation. Playing online does NOT count. Signed, zayn :)." He smiled to himself, suddenly feeling a whole lot lighter as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He slowly drifted into a sleep void of anxiety and the pressures of social media. He could get used to this.

Three and a half hours later Zayn stood before the door of his family's home and he felt an odd feeling in his stomach. Usually he'd knock immediately, not wasting a single second without them but today he felt like his presence might do more harm than good. He stood there and he could hear faint talking and what sounded like the rattling of dishes. It's a Thursday morning, his dad would leave for work soon and they're all most likely having breakfast together. He didn't know if he'd interrupt something because Zayn genuinely didn't know the specificities of their lives. He finally mustered up enough courage to knock on the door and a minute later Yaser swung it open. He looked at Zayn with confusion and bewilderment but then a soft smile settled on his face and he pulled Zayn into a hug. "My son. I'm so glad you're here." He says and Zayn smiles, forgetting the previous feelings of nervousness. They walk in together, making small talk until they get to the kitchen area. Everyone is mixed up in conversation and eating but their attention draws to him like a magnet. Safaa jumps out of her seat and runs into his arms while saying, "You came. You piece of shit I thought I'd have to drag you to the biggest moment of my life." Everyone laughs and Zayn realizes that his Mum didn't tell them about his previous concerns and desperate attempt to stop this marriage. He thanks her quietly when she pulls him into a tight hug. They all chat over pancakes and Zayn feels calm. Another thing he could get used to. 

Friday morning Trisha is awake at 7am trying to get the entire house in tip top shape for all the guests that will arrive tonight. She has organized a dinner for some family and friends before the actual wedding weekend arrives. Her prawns are laid out in the kitchen waiting to be marinated and Waliyha is soaking the rice in water. Doniya is out collecting the cakes and pastries from a local bakery and Yaser is at the gym with Zayn. They have a boxing lesson that Yaser booked last night because they were both nostalgic about the times when boxing was everything. A time when things were simpler and he was Zain Javadd Malik and not ZAYN. Zayn and Yaser arrive back home, adrenaline pumping through their veins and Yaser mixes up a protein shake for the two of them. They talk about their session and laugh about when Zayn missed the punching bag and fell over. "The guests will be here in a few hours and you guys are not even dressed! Yaser you're supposed to help me with setting the table and Zayn I need you to clean up the kitchen." Trisha interrupts them. Zayn is shocked for a second; he rarely cleans his kitchen unless his assistant forgets to call the maid. He looks at Trisha and she shoots him a daring look and Zayn immediately gets up and walks into the kitchen. It takes him an hour to successfully load all the dishes into the dishwasher and after that he showers and gets ready for the night. 

At 8pm all the guests have finally arrived (even though the invitation clearly said 7pm but that's just brown people culture) and a long table in the living room is filled. There's a seat open next to Waliyha and Zayn wonders why. Most of his family is there and there's a few friends that he does not recognize but they claim they've held him as a baby. About 30 minutes into the dinner there's a knock at the door and Waliyha gets up and walks over. Zayn watches as she enters the room with a girl he's never seen before. She's tall, her hair is a mess of curls and she looks like she hasn't slept or changed in a week. She wears turquoise scrubs and Zayn realizes why she looks like that. She greets everyone traditionally and then takes the vacant seat next to Waliyha. "I'm sorry I'm late the hospital rounds lasted forever today." She says to no one in particular. "You guys won't believe the patient I ha-." She pauses and Zayn looks up in confusion only to meet her eyes staring back at him. Waliyha and Safaa start laughing almost like there's a joke that he wasn't informed about. He frowns and watches as her cheeks get redder. "Zayn. Maliha. Maliha. Zayn." Waliyha says in between laughs. Zayn nods and she nervously smiles back before glaring at a younger boy who whispers something to her. The dinner goes on and Zayn is consumed with family members asking about Gigi or if they could use his New York apartment in the summer because he probably flies across the world all the time. He didn't like when people mentioned his success or his wealth or made remarks about the way he spent his money and time. He never wanted to be rude though so he'd just smile and nod. Waliyha came over to him and said, "Maliha is a fan of your music that's why she's shy. She's not crazy or anything she just didn't realize you were going to be here. But you remember her right? She went to that other school with the blue emblem." Zayn looked at her puzzled. He could barely remember what he ate last week how was he supposed to remember things from a decade ago? "I don't know who she is. Is she a Doctor or something?" He questions. "4th year med student." She replies before walking away toward the group of girls. Zayn wonders what that must have been like. Living normally and attending university. He feels like he's missed out on all of that.


	4. MEHNDI

April 2019

The wedding weekend had finally arrived and Zayn was excited to experience a desi wedding after years but at the same time he felt like he still needed to stop this. Over the week he soon realized that he was the only one with these feelings whilst everyone else supported the marriage of two 17 year olds. This commenced his task of biting his tongue and restraining himself from doing anything regrettable. He simply followed instructions and did everything expected of him including agreeing to walk down the aisle with a bridesmaid. This was not optional, his Mum had made that very clear, so Zayn began practicing the way in which he would walk because suddenly he was burdened with nerves. What if he fell? What if he stepped on the bridesmaids dress and she fell? What if they both fell? He was overthinking it and really just wanted those few seconds to be over. 

Tonight was the Mehndi night. It was culturally and traditionally expected of the bride and the women in her life to celebrate her last day or so of being a bachelorette. They wore saris and punjabi's and danced to every Bollywood song known to mankind. Some of the girls had prepared a dance for the bride and others just danced the way they always do. Zayn had been given strict instructions to be non-existent between 6pm and 3am. He didn't really know what to do, Jawaad and himself weren't on speaking terms and Yaser was working late. He wanted to catch up with old friends but they didn't seem to want the same. So he settled for playing video games in his room which excited him because it had been weeks since he spoke to his online friends and sometimes it made him uneasy not knowing how they were. 

He switches on his PlayStation and the only person online is TristanWithaT. "Zack! It's been weeks man. How are you?" Tristans voice sounds through his headphones. Zayn had picked up on a few things about Tristan; he has 3 dogs, he travels quite a lot for work and he was once involved in a police brutality incident. Zayn soon realized that Tristan was the guy on the news who prevented another racial profiling incident against him and his nephew. There had a been a go fund me set up for donations towards Tristan's hospital fees after he bravely took a beating from a white police officer in an attempt to protect his nephew. Zayn anonymously paid for the whole thing and donated a bit more. A few weeks after when Tristan spoke about it to their group he jokingly asked if one of them was a secret millionaire to which Zayn laughed a bit too loudly. Zayn always felt like Tristan knew because for some reason he would always mention Zayn's new song or talk about how hot the Hadids are. He didn't want to ask of course, because wondering and knowing are two very different things. 

They played for two hours until Zayn could hear his stomach growling. It was 10pm which means that the party is still on and he's not meant to go downstairs but he's hungry and so he decides that sneaking into the kitchen and going unnoticed would officially prove that he is a ninja. He tip toes down the stairs and makes a sharp left, sticking to the wall. He lifts his hoodie over his head and then gets down on his knees and crawls to the kitchen. Not a single person is in sight because the mehndi is down the hall but this is too fun not to do. He finally reaches the kitchen and stands up quickly, nearly knocking his head on the table. He looks in the fridge and sees some left over chicken curry. He puts some in a bowl and heats it in the microwave. He softly sings rEaR vIeW to himself as he waits for the food to get hot and quickly stops when he hears the clicking of heels getting louder in his direction. He gulps and wonders what a ninja would do in this moment but there's no where he could go without being noticed. "Oh I'm sorry I didn't realize you'd be here." Zayn's head shoots up faster than the speed of light. His eyes go wide and he feels the blood rushing to his cheeks in embarrassment. Maliha stands in front of him, she wears a light blue sari and her hair is pulled into a ponytail. He face glows and she looks beautiful in a way that only brown girls can when they're dressed like this. "Don't apologize. I'm not meant to be here." He says. She smiles as she opens the freezer and takes out some ice. She opens a draw and pulls out a zip lock packet and Zayn wonders how she knows exactly where everything is. She puts a few ice cubes into the packet, sits down and presses it against her ankle. Zayn realizes he's been staring at her this whole time and clears his throat. "Dancing injury?" He asks. "I think I went too wild for desi girl." She laughs and winces when she presses too hard. "It's understandable, that song unlocks a new level of dancing." He says and they both chuckle. She applies the ice and then opens her purse and drinks a pill that Zayn can only assume is for injuries like this. "I like your hoodie." She says after a while. Zayn looks down because suddenly he forgot what he's wearing. "You watch Rick and Morty?" He asks and immediately regrets the dumbfounded tone in his question. "I don't think I could have gotten through university without it." She replies while adjusting the strap on her heel. She stands up and stumbles before getting her balance right. Zayn accidentally lets out a small laugh and covers his mouth with his hand quickly. She turns to face him and bursts out laughing as well and he's relieved because that could have gone very differently. They both laugh and Zayn imitates the way she nearly fell which makes her laugh even more to the point where she nearly falls again. "This is so embarrassing." She says through laughter and Zayn being Zayn says, "Yeah it kind of is." She shoots him a playful glare. "I should probably get back." She smiles, laughter still evident in her. He smiles, they part ways and Zayn starts to realize that he has a weird feeling in his stomach.


End file.
